Gratitude

In my part of the world, it is Thanksgiving today. When you are going through hard times, the holiday season can be particularly rough. Holidays are usually about families and get-togethers and huge meals and for those of us who are going through break ups or illnesses, holidays can make us feel alienated and lonelier than ever. Hence it’s easy to feel despair during the holiday season.

I would like to remind you that you are in control of your feelings. And I would like you to turn those negative thoughts around just for a second and remember all the good things around though you are not feeling good inside. Pause the grief for a moment, reflect and think of things to be thankful for. I’m not discounting your sadness. I’m not ridiculing your feelings. I would just like to inject a little positivity in the spirit of thanksgiving. And if you think hard enough – you will find that you do have things to be thankful for – and that in the grand scheme of things, what happened to you is not as bad if you frame it in a positive context. It could be something as simple as you are thankful to still be breathing and alive. You are thankful for blue skies. You are thankful for another day. You are thankful for your kids.

I am thankful for a good life. It is not perfect but it’s good enough for me. I’m thankful for a healthy child and peace in my part of the world. I’m thankful for inner strength. I’m thankful for the opportunities that I have been fortunate enough to have. And I am thankful for family and friends who have stuck by me and who have in each of their own way, taught me something about myself and about life.